Floor-securing means for steel structures



L. S. PRATT FLOOR SECURING MEANS FOR STEEL STRUCTURES Filed June 2l' i /r d /mllH Patented June 17, 1924.

UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

LUCIUS S. PRATT, 0F WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

Application sled :une 21, 1923. serial No.' 646,883.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Lucius S. PRATT, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Wilmington, North Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Floor-Securing Means for Steel Structures, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to means for securing fiooring, and particularly wooden flooring, to steel frame structures. For the purpose of illustrating the invention,` it will be erein described as flooring for steel cars in which there are provided suitable sills of 'steel for supporting the floor. In such structures, and particularly in cars whereA the framework is subjected to twisting strains, it is essential that the wooden flooring be firmly secured in position on the sills and that the securing element be such that it cannot be loosened or displaced `as the result of such strains. In the accompanying drawings, for the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have shown the saine as applied to a steel car frame, but it 'is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited to cars, and that within the limits of the claims hereto appended the invention may receive different mechanical expressions.

In said drawings Fi 1 is a broken vertical sectionlshowint e device in position;

ig. 2 is a plan view of a clip constituting one element of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a nut-lock forming another element; and f Fig. 4l is a bottom plan view of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings,-.wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, 1 is the side of a steel car frame and 2 is a steel sill running longitudinally of the car. 3 is a heavy iiooring board or plank with its ends resting upon the sill 2. This floor-board is secured to the sill 2 by means of a bifurcated clip 4 approximately rectangular in plan ,view and having a central slot 5 out in one side thereof, the wing portions 6, 6 on opposite sides of the slot bein bent first downwardly and then horizonta y as will be readily understood by an inspection of Fig. 1. The clip is thus provided with alternate portions disposed in different planes, one of said portions serving to prevent rotation of the clip. This clip 4 is provided with a bolt opening 7 through which a bolt preferably a carriage bolt 8 passes, the bolt also passing through the floor-board and being provided on its lower end with a nut 9. The clip, when in position, hasits upper horizontal portion 10 bolted firmly to the under side of the floorboard 3 and disposed in the plane of the sill flange. The wing portions 6 being offset from the plane of the body portion are held firmly against the under side of the sill 2. The strains, jars and twists to which the car is subjected, would inevitably work the nut 9 loose and, for the purpose of locking the same, there is provided a lock 11 having a bolt hole 12 registering with the bolt hole 7 of the clip 4. The width of the lock 11 is preferably exactly the same as the'slot 5 in the clip 4 and said lock is provided with an upturned end 13 which enters the slot 5 and abuts the inner end 14 of the slot 5, being firmly held between the clip and the inner shoulder on the sill 2, as will be readily understood from an inspection of Fig. 1. At

its end opposite from the upturned end 13, the lock is extended parallel with the under side of the clip 4 (see Fig. 1) and is preferably provided with a bending line 15 (Fig. 4) and with a downwardly extending end 16. When the bolt is tightly screwed to place, the outer end of the lock is bent downwardly along the side of the nut, so that the end 16 extends under the nut with the face of the lock closely abutting one of the faces of the nut. By this means the board 3 is firmly held in contact with the upper face of the sill 2 by the bolt 8 and the clip 4, and

VVthe nut 9 is prevented from turning by reason of the fact that the nut-lock itself cannot turn, being secured between the Wings 6, 6 of the clip and it in turn prevents the nut from turnmg, since it closely and firmly embraces the latter.

Actual experience has demonstrated that means securing said clip to the sill and fioor board.

2. In combination with a flanged floor sill and a floor board resting thereon, a clip having alternately arranged portions, one of said portions being adapted to lie in the plane of the sill flange to prevent rotation of said clip and another of said portions being adapted to en age the under tace of said sill flange, an means for se curing said clip to the sill and Hoor board.

3. n combination with a Hoor sill and a floor board resting thereon, a clip provided with alternately arranged portions disposed in different planes, one of said portions being adapted to prevent rotation of the clip and another of said portions being adapted to engage an under surface ofthe sill, a bolt for securing said cli to the sill and lloor board, and a nut-loc engaging one of the alternating portions on said .clip and one face'of the nut on said bolt.

4. In combination with a floor sill and a Hoor board resting thereon, a clip bifurcated to provide spaced wings and an interf mediate portion, said wings extending in a plane below the clip body for en agement with the under side of said sill an said intermediate portion being adapted to prevent rotation of the clip, and means for securing said clip to the sill and floor board.

5. n combination with a anged Hoor sill, a clip bifurcated to provide wings extending in a plane below the cli body and an intermediate portion adapted to lie in the plane of the sill flange to prevent rotation of the clip, and means for securing said clip to the floor board and sill with said wings engaging an under side of said sill ange.

6. In combination with a`flanged ioor sill, a clip biuroated to provide Wings extending in a plane belowV the clip body and an intermediate portion adapted to lie in the plane of the sill flange to prevent rotation of the clip, a bolt for securino' said clip to the floor board and sill with said Wings engaging an under side of said sill flange, and a nut lock engaging one of said wings and the nut on said bolt.

7. In combination, a sill supporting a ioor board, a clip en aging the under sldes of said board and sil means securing said clip in position, and an element engaging the sill and said securing means for preventing separation of the several parts.

8. In combination, a sill supporting a floor board, a clip having a body portion engaging the under side of said board, means offset from the planeof said body portion and engaging the under side of the sill, means securing said cli in position, and an element engaging the sill and said securing means for preventing vseparation of the several arts.

9. In com ination, a flanged sill supporting a floor board, a clip having a body portion adapted to lie in the plane of the sill iiange whereby rotation of the clip is prevented, means offset from the plane of the clip body for engaging the under side of said sill, a bolt securing said clip in position, and an element engagin the sill flange and the nut on s aid bolt or preventing separation of the several parts.

10. In combination, a floor sill supporting a Hoor board, a bolted clip preventing separation of said sill and boar/d, and means contacting with said sill to prevent revolution of said clip andproviding a nut-lock to prevent separation of the several elements.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

LUorUs s. PRATT. 

